Sitcoms are considered to be the perfect choice of entertainment if you want to watch something short and funny. Shows like Modern Family and The Big Bang Theory have been universally acclaimed over the last twenty years and are responsible for capturing the hearts of people from all over the globe. CBS’s How I Met Your Mother is no exception, and it could probably be the best sitcom of the 21st century as of yet.

The series, which ran from 2005 to 2014, follows the main character, Ted Mosby (played by Josh Radnor), and his group of friends in New York City’s Manhattan. As a framing device, Ted recounts the events from 2005 to 2013 that led him to meet their mother to his son and daughter. The show primarily stands out among other sitcoms due to how it draws the audience into a more modest world, allowing them to relate to the characters as if they were people they knew in real life. Similarly, other famous sitcoms like Friends have also been very popular around the world. However, I believe that such a show doesn’t have as profound bonds between the characters and portrays life as if there was nothing more to it than laughter. On the contrary, the chemistry between the five main characters of How I Met Your Mother and how they play off of each other just like real-life best friends is what makes this series so appealing and entertaining. The friendship between Barney Stinson, Robin Scherbatsky, Ted Mosby, Lily Aldrin, and Marshall Eriksen eventually reaches a point where it feels more like a family than just a simple group of friends. Like American director Steven Levitan said, “As you spend more time with the characters, you realize that underneath the barbs, these people really care about each other”. As you watch the 208 episodes, you’ll see these characters at their best, at their worst, go through thick and thin together, and experience life-changing moments. You get so emotionally attached to these characters that I can assure you there will be moments you’ll laugh with them, cry with them and even suffer with them. 

How I Met Your Mother is an entertaining, refreshingly kooky sitcom focused on love and relationships. Nevertheless, it contains a large dose of sexual-themed humor, flirting, and innuendo. This makes the target audience mature teens and adults alike. Even though the show revolves around a lot of sex references, it will never fail to make you laugh. Characters like Barney Stinson will always bring a smile to your face with their inside jokes and hilarious references. Hence, although it’s true that How I Met Your Mother has more adult humor as compared to other popular sitcoms like Boy Meets World, its content is not at all edgy or inappropriate and can still be enjoyed and understood by younger audiences. The show has many jokes, body comedy, surprises, “Awwws”, and even squeals of live-studio audience excitement. The show also addresses many topics like love, death, relationships, and friendships which makes the audience relate to it. In addition, its unique structure, humor, and incorporation of dramatic elements are what’s made it so popular throughout its run and stand out among other sitcoms. 

The main characters in the show are played by popular names in the film industry such as Canadian actress Cobie Smulders, Tony Award-winning actor Neil Patrick Harris, and American actress Alyson Hannigan, all of who in some way owe their exponential rise to fame to How I Met Your Mother. Craig Thomas and Carter Bays, the creators of the show, have expressed that the storyline of the series was loosely inspired by their friendship when they lived in New York City. The show has also received many awards throughout the years. It was nominated for 30 Emmy Awards, 10 of which it won, and in 2010, Alyson Hannigan won the People’s Choice Award for Favorite TV Comedy Actress. Also, in 2012, seven years after its premiere, the series won the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Network TV Comedy, and Neil Patrick Harris won the award for Favorite TV Comedy Actor twice. This recognition can be attributed to how different storytelling is in How I Met Your Mother. The show consists of future Ted Mosby telling in excruciating detail the life he had before he met his wife, focusing on his friends and his relationships. 

All in all, How I Met Your Mother is a timeless sitcom that has aged incredibly well throughout the years. Without giving away any spoilers, I would summarize the show with a quote from American author Dr. Seuss; “You will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.” How I Met Your Mother is one of the greatest TVshows of the 2000s, and so you should definitely consider giving it a try.